Celtic Knot Workshop

Would you take a workshop from these two women? Questionable I know but hear me out.

While I am busy working in the kitchen everyday guests are in the abbey doing all kinds of other things. And they are directed by program leaders Hanna and Anna. There are talks and walks, art projects and music events. Anna and Hanna but a lot of time and effort into crafting the programs for the guests to get the most out of their time on Iona. Not every moment is filled of course. There is a lot of time and space for guests to soak up the island however they want to.

This week Anna put together a new workshop about Celtic Knot Drawing. She asked me to join the fun. It was my day off on Thursday so I told her I’d think about it. I was spending the morning drawing anyway. I told myself if I was in the flow I’d stay in my room and be alone. But if there was a stopping place I’d join the guest in Anna workshop in the refectory.

I got a nudge. A Spirit moving You-should-go-Lisa-Dear feeling. Oh all right I’ll go. I’m very glad I did. It’s always fun to play art. There was no need for me to be so precious and lonely about creating. Anna did a great job of giving a little history about the knots, things I didn’t know, which was interesting to hear. The tutorials she’d found online were different than the way I had learned to draw the knots. She taught us working from the outside in. I’d learned how to do it from the inside out. It’s a subtle difference. Keeping my beginner’s mind I made mistakes. The mistakes have lead me to find new designs I want to use in my art moving forward. How cool is that? VERY.

I also discovered the new volunteer, Josie, who I am just getting to know, was falling in love with drawing knots. She picked it up so quickly. It was fun to show her other more complicated ones. Turns out we have the same days off so we’ll be getting together again to do more knots.

As the workshop progressed I was able to add a little bit to it.I suggested a few ways to make things easier. It was fun to be asked to help folks who were struggling and then see them “get it!” Anna was please with this first round of doing a new workshop and has asked me to do it with her next week too. Fun times. Sure thing. Drawing Celtic knots on Iona is my happy place for sure.

Oh,the last photo is the best I think. Once everyone had figured out the basic knot work we had a tea break. Then it was back to work only this time if was freestyle. I was thrilled to see Grinella’s dolphin. I asked if I could take a photo of it. I think you can agree her first try was amazing. It’s given me some new ideas of what to do next in my own work. Living in community brings so many benefits. Who knew one of the cool things would be lifting up artwork. I. Love. It!